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A30 FEATURE
Tuesday 7 July 2020
'Lift Every Voice and Sing' hymn ignites hope across nation

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. would love it to be more
AP Entertainment Writer than 'The Star-Spangled
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Banner,'" Young said of the
Black national anthem was Black anthem.
born more than a century Along with the protest, the
ago, but the popular hymn staying power of "Lift Every
within the African Ameri- Voice and Sing" into broad-
can community called "Lift er audiences can also be
Every Voice and Sing" has credited to the biggest en-
resurrected a beacon of tertainers and political fig-
hope during nationwide ures who have referenced
protests. it.
In recent weeks, countless Beyoncé performed the
rallies were held from D.C. song in front of a mostly
to Seattle with arm-locked white audience at the
protesters of different rac- Coachella Valley Music
es reciting the song's lyr- & Arts Festival in 2018. The
ics while marching against late Rev. Joseph Lowery
police brutality of unarmed began his benediction re-
Black people. The demon- citing the song's third verse
strations throughout the U.S. at the inauguration for
were ignited by the killing President Barack Obama
of George Floyd, who died in 2009; and musicians Mike
after a Minneapolis police In this June 19, 2020, photo, people attend a peaceful rally in Chicago to mark Juneteenth. Phillips and West Byrd sprin-
officer pressed a knee into Associated Press kled in snippets of the song
his neck for several minutes. while playing the national
Some marches were and "Amazing Grace." The the cultural shift." Nations. He said the sing- anthem at NASCAR's 2020
peaceful, while others latter was written by former Protesters are certainly ing of the song at protests Pocono 350 on Sunday.
turned violent. But one slave trader John Newton, making the song heard. In shows how "desegregation The NFL will play "Lift Every
common thread at protests but the song helped define Dallas, hundreds flocked of America is really the in- Voice and Sing" before
were people chanting the racial equality. to the plaza where John F. tegration of cultures, ideals, each game during Week
anthem's long-lasting mes- Sharpton said the ability of Kennedy was shot in 1963 energies and spirituality." 1, a person familiar with the
sage of faithfulness, free- " Lift Every Voice and Sing to march before collective- Young has known the discussions told The Associ-
dom and equality. " enduring several genera- ly taking a moment to sing song's lyrics since kinder- ated Press. It'll be played
"I saw whites singing that tions speaks volumes. the song. Protesters sang garten and even recited first when the Super Bowl
song saying 'No justice, no "The fact that this song the song last month at the every word during a recent champion Kansas City
peace' and 'Black Lives could survive us going from historic Lincoln Memorial in interview. He believes the Chiefs host the Houston
Matter.' It's something I the back of the bus and Washington, D.C. The same Black anthem is a more Texans to kick off the NFL
didn't see early in my ca- the outhouse to the Tru- happened in Los Angeles, "powerful and patriotic" regular season on Sept. 10.
reer or even 15 years ago," man Balcony at the White Chicago, Baltimore and song than America's na- Last month, Democratic
recalled the Rev. Al Sharp- House, it shows that this Minneapolis. tional anthem, which was presidential hopeful Joe
ton, referring to protesters song really resonates in our "The song is a refreshment written by a slave owner Biden released the "Lift Ev-
in Minneapolis in the after- hearts," he said. "Very few and renewal of my faith," who made a painful refer- ery Voice" plan, which is a
math of Floyd's death. "You songs would last through said Andrew Young, the ence to slavery in its little- reference to the song. The
got to see people other those kinds of changes in civil rights leader and for- known third stanza. plan proposes to address
than us appreciating our Black America. That's why mer Atlanta mayor and U.S. "It's much more applicable issues in the Black com-
song, our anthem. This is just it's a great barometer to ambassador to the United to the United States as we munity, including "systemic
not a moment. This is a real misconduct" in police de-
movement." partments and prosecutors'
Growing up, Sharpton said offices.
he learned self-identity The Rev. Markel Hutchins
through the anthem, which said Biden's reference to
was written as a poem by the song and hearing white
James Weldon Johnson Americans singing the lyr-
before his brother, J. Rosa- ics has given him "hope
mond, turned it into music. and confidence, although
The song was performed we're in a dark place as a
for the first time in 1900, not nation today."
long after it was written. "There's new inspiration and
The NAACP dubbed "Lift motivation in America to-
Every Voice and Sing" as day for people of every
the Black national anthem walk of life, every race, ev-
in 1919. The decision came ery culture and every orien-
more than a decade be- tation," he said.
fore "The Star-Spangled Some NBA and collegiate
Banner" was adopted as teams played the song at
the national anthem of the games during Black History
U.S. Month years ago, thanks to
During the civil rights move- Eugene Williams. The retired
ment, the song was popular Howard University professor
during protests with the likes In this June 26, 2016, file photo, Beyonce performs "Freedom" at the BET Awards in Los Angeles. lobbied for teams to play
of "We Shall Overcome" Associated Press the song in February.q